ANN ARBOR - A statewide planning effort has kicked off a public survey that could shape an ambitious new north–south passenger rail line in Michigan, potentially linking Ann Arbor with Traverse City and points north. While the project remains in early planning stages, proponents say it’s time to talk not just about where trains run
ANN ARBOR - Meta Platforms’ newly announced 6-gigawatt nuclear power agreements highlight an unmistakable reality: the accelerated deployment of artificial-intelligence data centers is stretching electric grids and reigniting debates over how America produces electricity for the digital economy. In Michigan — one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the U.S. — the conversation has
GRAND RAPIDS - As 2026 approaches, new survey data suggests the West Michigan economy continues to lose momentum, even as parts of Michigan and the broader U.S. economy show signs of stabilization rather than decline. The latest monthly economic survey from Grand Valley State University shows most key indicators for West Michigan remaining in negative
NOVI - Mid-Michigan residents will have a limited but meaningful opportunity this month to shape where a major new high-voltage transmission line may be built. ITC Michigan is hosting a series of community listening sessions in late January and early February to gather local input on preliminary routing for a proposed 345-kilovolt transmission line spanning
ANN ARBOR - Social Security’s financial outlook is worsening, raising the prospect of benefit reductions for tens of millions of Americans — including more than two million Michiganders — unless Congress acts within the next few years. The program’s retirement trust fund is projected to run out of money by 2033, with the disability trust
ANN ARBOR - An interstellar object passing briefly through the solar system has sparked renewed debate at the intersection of science, national security, and public trust—less because of what astronomers have found, and more because of what U.S. intelligence officials will not say. The object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is only the third confirmed visitor ever
NOVI — A proposed high-voltage transmission line stretching from Oneida in Eaton County to a new Sabine Lake substation in Livingston County is emerging as one of the most significant energy infrastructure projects Michigan has seen in years — not because of its size alone, but because of what it represents about the future of
LANSING — Michigan’s cannabis industry is pressing forward with a constitutional lawsuit against the state’s 24% wholesale marijuana tax, arguing the levy was imposed illegally and is already triggering layoffs, facility closures, and real-world economic pain across the state’s expanding legal marijuana market. The case, filed by the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA) and several
LAS VEGAS — Autonomous vehicles have been “five years away” for more than a decade. Despite billions invested by automakers, suppliers, and technology companies, the industry continues to struggle with the same fundamental problems: brittle perception systems, difficulty handling rare edge cases, and limited explainability when automated systems make mistakes. At CES 2026, NVIDIA introduced
DETROIT - Michigan’s health insurance landscape is entering 2026 under intensifying financial pressure, and businesses of all sizes — from startups to large employers — are already feeling it. A convergence of policy changes, rising premiums and health system strain is forcing companies to rethink benefits strategies and exposing cracks in the broader health care
